If you are bright enough, and lucky enough, to get a place on one of the most coveted of courses - medicine, dentistry and paramedical degrees - then the job outlook is pretty good.
The latest graduate survey carried out by the Higher Education Authority shows that of the 1998 primary degree graduates in medicine, dentistry and paramedical studies, two-thirds were employed in Ireland, with almost one-third employed abroad.
The HEA survey provides a snapshot of where the graduates of 1998 were on April 30th, 1999, so almost all of the medical graduates would have been doing their intern year at the time of the survey.
A tiny proportion of graduates - 1.8 per cent - went on to research work or further study, with 0.1 per cent going into teacher training. Only 0.4 per cent were seeking employment.
If you are focusing on a career as a doctor, dentist, physiotherapist, optometrist or radiographer, try not to close yourself off completely from other options. With limited places, the points required are invariably very high.
Think about why you are choosing these careers. Are you interested in biochemistry, physiology, human genetics or the caring aspect of these professions? What about nursing, social care, childcare, a general science degree?
Two courses offered at certificate/ diploma level may also act as a good foundation for paramedical degree courses. Carlow IT has a national certificate in physiology and health science (CW001), which required 400 points last year. Graduates of this course have made their way into degree-level paramedical and therapy courses in Britain, in particular, and there is also the opportunity to stay in the college and progress to a B.Sc in human physiology and rehabilitation. Sligo IT has also recently established a similar course (details below).
Medicine
THERE are five medical schools in the Republic and numbers are limited by the HEA, with 305 places available to Irish students. In UCD the 1999 cut-off was 555 points; NUI Galway 550*; UCC 560; TCD 570*, while the Royal College of Surgeons had a cut-off of 540*. (The asterix signifies that random selection applied and not all applicants with this points level were offered a place.)
The RCSI is not included in the free fees initiative, but eligible students may apply for maintenance grants. Fees are tax deductible at the standard rate. If you are eligible for a maintenance grant, your fees may be paid up to a maximum of £3,583. The RCSI also offers 10 scholarships each year.
If you're thinking of doing medicine, remember it's a long haul. Once you have finished your five or six years in college, then you must spend a year as an intern. After that, you may try for a specialist training programme or look for a place on the general practitioners' training programme.
Medicine is often seen as a glamorous career, run on the lines of ER. However, junior doctors frequently complain of long hours and overwork. Don't just opt for medicine because you expect to achieve high points. Make sure it's what you really want.
Dentistry
IF YOU wish to qualify as a dentist, UCC and TCD offer courses. Points required last year were 535* at UCC and 540* at TCD. Although the cutoff varies from year to year, they usually exceed 500, so you need to be a very high achiever to secure a place.
The surveys of graduate destinations combine medicine, dentistry and paramedical primary degree graduates as a single category. However, the HEA notes that there is a long established trend among dentists of gaining experience overseas before returning to work in Ireland.
Veterinary medicine
OFFERED by UCD only, veterinary medicine had a cut-off of 540* last year.
The survey found that 70.5 per cent of veterinary medicine graduates with primary degrees were in full-time employment in Ireland. The remainder were in full-time employment overseas.
The vast majority, 95.3 per cent, were employed under the category "professional services, private practice" while the remainder were employed by third-level colleges. The bulk of those who went overseas were in Britain, with 11 per cent in Africa, 5.6 per cent in other EU states and 5.6 per cent in the Middle East.
New options: Medicinal chemistry at TCD
TCD's new medicinal chemistry degree (TR075) commanded a cut-off of 520 points last year. This year, there is likely to be equally strong competition for the 10 firstyear places.
College lecturer Dr Thorfinnur Gunnlaugsson says the first year is very much the same as a science degree, with the addition of seminars to introduce students to various aspects of medicinal chemistry. Indeed, the first two years are taken in the company of science students (TR071) with medicinal chemistry students taking a specific combination of courses: biology, chemistry and maths in first year and chemistry and biology in second year.
In third and fourth year, students take elements of the standard chemistry course, along with specialist medicinal chemistry lectures. Practical work focuses on synthetic organic chemistry, with some experiments in inorganic and physical chemistry.
The degree is positioned at the interface between chemistry and biology and it is likely that graduates will find work in the pharmaceutical industry. Other employers include companies involved in the invention and/or production of new organic compounds. Website: http://www.tcd.ie/Chemistry/MedChem
Health science with physiology in Sligo IT
ANY new course in the healthcare area is likely to attract the attention of CAO applicants. This diploma is similar to Carlow IT's applied physiology and health science, which had a cut-off of 400 points in 1999.
Lecturer Dr Jeremy Bird says it differs in the emphasis it places on public health, health management and health administration.
Physiology and applied physiology are core subjects and the course also includes IT, computing, physics, biology, microbiology and biochemistry. Students are also introduced to psychology, sociology and complementary therapies.
So it would be a suitable foundation for degree or professional level courses in a variety of disciplines, including sports science, physical education, occupational health and safety, human nutrition, physiology technicians, health science and public health. The course has a link to the degree in health science and sports science at Coventry University.
The three-year course was advertised late last year and there are 27 students in first year. This year, the college can accommodate up to 48.
Nursing
IF YOU are trying to locate Bord Altranais's website to look up details of nurse education, it can be found at www.nursingboard.ie. The board inadvertently supplied us with the wrong address yesterday.
It also informs us that the nonmeans test maintenance grant payable to students on the diploma course has been increased from £3,250 to £3,325 and the textbooks allowance has gone up to £250. There have been some improvements in the provision of travel and accommodation allowances paid to eligible student nurses undertaking external clinical placements away from their normal hospital base.
Late introduction of courses
GUIDANCE counsellors phoning the "College Choice" helpline have not taken too kindly to the number of courses being introduced this year which are not in the CAO handbook.
The counsellors staffing the helpline say such difficulties raise the question of whether there should be a ban on introducing new courses after the handbook has been printed. In particular, it seems unfair to introduce new courses as the February 1st deadline looms. Would it not be better to wait and introduce an amended list before Easter? (Students can change their course selection until July 1st.)